BRITAIN: Intense negotiations start today between leaders of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and local government employers, offering some hope that the long-running firefighters' dispute may finally be settled.
Britain's firefighters have held five strikes in four months. This has meant the already stretched armed forces have had to provide cover with outdated equipment.
Today's talks follow a successful meeting yesterday with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott. An FBU spokesman said Mr Prescott had provided "further assurances" that the Bain report on the future of the service would not be implemented before negotiations take place.
The spokesman said: "Some employees were trying to implement the Bain review recommendations before they had been discussed, but Prescott assured us that the Bain report would not be implemented until it had been fully negotiated."
The FBU called off strikes last week ahead of the talks with employers. The spokesman said: "We will bring forward our ideas on pay and modernisation."
FBU leader Mr Andy Gilchrist had said firefighters would hold more strikes unless the government changed its position on pay and reform of the service.
The union has demanded a 40 per cent pay rise, but employers have limited their offer to 11 per cent over two years linked to modernisation of working practices.